Free Course Image Command line for beginners

Free online courseCommand line for beginners

Duration of the online course: 44 minutes

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Work faster in tech: learn essential command line skills in this free course, navigate files, read logs, and boost productivity with a certificate.

In this free course, learn about

  • Why learning the command line/terminal is useful and when to use it
  • Advantages of CLI over a graphical interface (speed, automation, precision)
  • How to list directory contents using the ls command
  • How to delete non-empty directories with rm using the -r (recursive) flag
  • How to safely remove files/folders and understand risks of rm
  • How to view and scroll through file contents using less
  • How to navigate the filesystem with core terminal commands (cd, pwd)
  • What symbolic links (symlinks) are and why they’re created

Course Description

If you’ve ever felt slowed down by clicking through endless folders or struggled to make sense of files on a server, learning the command line can change the way you work. This free online course helps beginners build real confidence in the terminal, turning an intimidating black screen into a practical tool you can use every day. Whether you’re starting in programming, moving toward DevOps, or simply want more control over your computer, these skills quickly translate into speed, clarity, and independence.

You’ll learn why professionals rely on the command line and when it becomes the better choice over a graphical interface. From understanding how directories are organized to running the most common commands safely, you’ll start developing muscle memory for navigating and managing files without guesswork. The course emphasizes habits that reduce mistakes and increase accuracy, so you can move around your system efficiently and understand what each action is actually doing.

Along the way, you’ll practice essential tasks like listing folder contents, removing directories correctly, and reading files in a way that makes long outputs manageable. These aren’t abstract concepts: they’re the everyday building blocks for troubleshooting, working with projects, and handling environments where a GUI isn’t available. You’ll also explore symbolic links and how they help you organize workflows, create shortcuts, and manage resources more flexibly across a system.

By the end, you’ll be able to approach terminal tasks with a clear mental model instead of memorizing commands blindly. This foundation supports everything that comes next in Technology and Programming, from version control and scripting to backend development and system administration. If you want a practical, beginner-friendly starting point that delivers immediate value, this course gives you a strong first step and a skill employers recognize across roles.

Course content

  • Video class: Command Line Crash Course For Beginners | Terminal Commands 44m
  • Exercise: _What are some reasons why you would want to learn the command line or the terminal?
  • Exercise: _What is the advantage of using the command line over the graphical interface?
  • Exercise: _Which command is used to list out the contents of a folder or directory?
  • Exercise: _What flag should you use with the "rm" command to delete a directory that has files and folders in it?
  • Exercise: _What command can be used to read a file and allow scrolling through its content?
  • Exercise: _What is the purpose of creating a sim link in the command line?

This free course includes:

44 minutes of online video course

Digital certificate of course completion (Free)

Exercises to train your knowledge

100% free, from content to certificate

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